Time To Talk Day

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to write a post on a subject that is very close to my heart. Tomorrow, 4th February, is national “Time To Talk” day. The purpose of this and its campaign is to encourage people to talk to about mental health issues; Time to Talk, Time to Change – time to change the misconceptions associated with mental health and encourage people to talk about these issues.

The campaign hopes to get people to open up about mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, which would be such a positive thing in the long run. I’ve no doubt everyone knows someone who has been touched by these issues; they are so common that one in four people are affected by them.

I myself have suffered with anxiety and mild depression. I am certainly past it now and in a much happier and far more positive place, but it took some time to deal with it and I can honestly say I didn’t deal with any of it until I started talking to people about it. I think there is such a stigma with depression and anxiety because it often affects the people you least expect it to. I am a really happy person; very positive, friendly, full of sunshine. When I started to feel low moods and suffering panic attacks, it was so out of the blue. I had no idea how to handle it because I hadn’t seen it coming and I didn’t know who to talk to about it. I have a lovely life, an amazing husband, a cosy home, a loving family, my health, I felt like an idiot cause I couldn’t see a reason for me feeling such negative feelings. So I was too embarrassed to talk about it. I felt like I couldn’t talk to family about it, not even my husband, because I felt they’d want a clear reason for my moods and I didn’t have one; I couldn’t explain it. So I did the stupidest thing you can do in that situation; I bottled it up, acted completely out of character and pushed everyone close to me away. It took months of me suffering, and the anxiety attacks increasing before I finally spoke up about it. And thank god I did. It was the best thing I’ve ever done. My husband was the hardest person to discuss it with because I felt I’d failed him; he gives me everything and I have a wonderful life because of him, but it was also difficult because he is not a hugely emotional guy. He’s practical and logical, and likes a clear reasoning for things. Plus he’d never spoken about such issues before because he’d never had to deal with them – he’d not been close to someone who’d suffered any mental health issues. But together, we got through it and I got much better once I spoke up. But I think one of the most beneficial things about speaking up was the effect it had on my husband, because he had to talk about it. He couldn’t do the typical British thing of stiff upper lip and just carry on, it had to be dealt with, and in turn it educated him and gave him an understanding of a subject that is rarely spoken about.

I also learnt, upon being honest about how I was feeling, was how many of my friends had suffered with these issues. Again, because people don’t talk about it, because of that stigma, there are people suffering with these problems on their own for fear of being honest about it. Since going through these problems, I’ve come to feel passionate about encouraging people to talk about these things. As I said before, often it is the people we least expect who are suffering with these problems and if they have a positive persona then no one would expect them to be suffering anything negative. It’s so important that the stigma associated with mental health is broken down.

By joining together on one day, we can break the silence that often surrounds mental health, and show that talking about this once-taboo issue doesn’t need to be difficult. One small step in the right direction really can make all the difference and opens the door to dealing with problems.

This is one of my most favourite quotes:

I feel like it represents any fear you have but encourages you to take the chance because it can lead to something so positive. So be fearless, speak up and lets stop the stigma and judgement that surrounds mental health issues.

For more info on this fantastic cause please visit: http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/timetotalkday-about and follow their Twitter account here: https://twitter.com/TimetoChange. You can also show support on the 4th February on the Twitter page and use the following suggested Tweets to get the subject treading and raising awareness: http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/timetotalkday-online

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this post. Lets work together to make a difference. xx

Leave a comment

It really is such an important topic to discuss. We had a time to change seminar at work last year and it was great to see people open up about it – I’ve always been okay talking about it with family and friends, but never had at work before because I worried that people would, I dunno, think less of me or whatever. But it’s silly when so many people’s lives are touched by it at some point. x #bloggerclubuk

Thank you for sharing. It’s been encouraging to see that with every year the conversations are becoming easier and more people are willing to openly speak of their mental health. There is still a long way to go but as you say even with little steps progress is being made.

I’d be surprised if there is anyone nowadays who doesn’t have first hand experience of mental health problems – yet still it’s kind of a taboo? I have watched family, friends, partners really go through it and at the time, the support and information just was not there.
#coolmumclub

I love that quote above. So true. I do think things are changing for the better. There’s a lot of misinformation around mental health, but I do think people are better informed now than they were when I was younger. #KCACOLS

Oh I’m so glad you’ve talked about it all now and can talk about it. It’s such an important thing, and I can’t believe there is anyone who hasn’t come across mental health problems through their very close family and friends. It’s brilliant that gradually this is being talked about more, and adverts on TV must help. Only a few years ago there was such a taboo and noone talked about it at all.

The Time To Talk day nd campaign are really important in spreading an understanding of mental health issues. I am quite open online about the issues I have with my mental health, but I will still bottle things up and put on that stiff upper lip in real life if I am suffering. Lucky for me Mr AD can recognise the signs and always knows what tondo to draw me out of it.
Thanks for sharing with us, Tracey xx #abitofeverything

I had not realised about Time to Talk day but its a great idea and I can imagine very important. Mental health issues are still surrounded by taboos and its simply not right. I am so glad you opened up and your husband was supportive helping you through it. Its not something I have had to battle but I have had friends who have and I often worry I don’t help enough, but I guess listening is a good place to start. Thank you for linking up to #BloggerClubUK hope to see you again next week x

I agree, honesty gets you much further in life. I’ve found that out since writing my blog. I never realised how cathartic honesty could be. Why there is any kind of stigma remaining around mental health I just don’t know. #abitofeverything

I’m very sorry to hear that you went through some tough times but I’m very glad to know that now you are happy and in a much better place! I definitely agree that it is important to talk about the problem and I don’t mean just talking about mental health issues but talk in general. It is always better to get it all out than keeping it inside you. I only suffered once severe panic attacks when I was about to leave my country to study a Master in Spain. It lasted for a short period of time but I couldn’t breath and it was very scary. I asked for help straight away and went to a psychiatrist who prescribed some pills that really helped me. I had a treatment for about 6 months I think and then it all disappeared when I was happy and stable in Madrid. So I didn’t have those fears any more. I guess what helped me was that my sister is a psychologist (psychotherapist) so she sent me to this psychiatrist at an early stage which helped me quickly. I guess having an open mind also helped. So yes I definitely agree that speaking up is the best solution and I really hope it makes a difference to others. Let’s try to spread the word about this important day. Thanks so much for sharing this at #KCACOLS. I would love to see you again on Sunday! 🙂 x

This is indeed a very important topic to discuss and to break the stigma! Love those quotes – yes the small step can be a big step! You just have to find the courage and know that you can take that first small step. Thank you so much for taking the time and courage to share you story with #abitofeverything

I empathise with so much of this post as I too hid my depression for months/years and I too have a husband a bit like yours who had to learn a new awareness and now helps people through his work with a greater understanding. It is vital that we take time to talk and often not just one day of the year

It’s hard to talk about while you’re experiencing depression because at your low you feel no one understands. Then, with anxiety you couldn’t possibly feel anxiety and explain it in the moment. I get the double whammy having bipolar disorder, PTSD, and OCPD. It truly hurts! Not in a physical way so much but in a deep down in your soul way. Then that hurt travels to your brain and after that it becomes physical. It is very hard to talk about because a lot of time the people around you wouldn’t understand that. Most times the become very scared and freak out!